Aware that News of the World staff might use their final edition to fire a parting shot at her, Rebekah Brooks is said to have instructed two senior executives to read the paper with a ‘fine-tooth comb’.

According to sources, they received the simple instruction to ‘ensure there were no libels or any hidden mocking messages of the chief executive’ of News International.

However, while the news pages may have been sanitised of any subliminal messages, the proofreaders appear to have failed to spot some less subtle jibes in the crossword section.

Crossword crossfire: The News of the World puzzle page appeared to contain several parting shots at Rebekah Brooks and News International bosses despite two senior Sun journalists allegedly being asked to proofread it

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The Cryptic Crossword was perhaps even more sardonic, with clues including: ‘Criminal enterprise, ‘mix in prison’, ‘string of recordings’, ‘will fear new security measure’.

Also among them was the hint ‘woman stares wildly at calamity’ – which may refer to the photograph of Mrs Brooks’s stony-faced departure from the News International HQ in Wapping, East London, on Thursday after staff were told the Rupert Murdoch-owned paper would be shut down.

Also there was ‘firewall’, which may have referred to the anger felt by NotW journalists after internet access was blocked by bosses for ‘operational reasons’.

A source at the paper told MailOnline: ‘Rebekah tried everything to stop the staff having the last word and she utterly failed.

Team: NotW editor Colin Myler brandished the final ever edition of the paper in front of his staff before announcing: 'And now in the best traditions of Fleet Street, we are going to the pub'

Emotion: A News of the World journalist
proudly carries a memento 'splash' page specially printed for staff
left, while another, wearing a T-shirt with the re-top's logo, cannot
hold back her tears as she heads to the pub

Goodbye: The staff at the News of the World managed to smile through the pain as they gathered for a last picture
in the newsroom, with editor Colin Myler sitting on the left of the desk

‘She brought in two very senior Sun journalists to go though every line on every page with a fine toothcomb to ensure there were no libels or any hidden mocking messages of the chief executive.

‘But they they failed and we’ve had the last laugh.’

The apparent parting shot in print was made as editor Colin Myler led staff out to the pub after the NotW signed off after 168 years with the headline: 'Thank You & Goodbye'.

Waiting TV cameramen and photographers captured the emotional scene as nearly 200 journalists walked out of Wapping and into an uncertain future.

Mr Myler, who has edited the paper since Andy Coulson’s reign ended in 2007, said: 'As you can see this is the latest and last News of the World.'

He went on: 'It is the 8,674th edition after 168 years. Its not a position that any editor would want, to close a title and, of course, I didn't close it.

'I want to pay tribute to these wonderful team of people here who after a very difficult day have produced a wonderful paper.

Focus of ire: Rupert Murdoch reading the last ever News of the World as he was driven to Wapping and Rebekah Brooks, on Thursday, looking perhaps like the crossword clue: 'Woman stares wildly at calamity'

The last word: Copies of the final edition of the News of the World were printed on the presses at Wapping

'It is a sad day for the staff, this is not where we want to be and not where we deserve to be.

'As a final tribute to seven-and-a-half million readers, this is for you - and for the staff, thank you,

'And now in the best traditions of Fleet Street, we are going to the pub.'

It was the climax of an emotional day at the Wapping headquarters. The newspaper's front and back pages were covered with images of past exclusives and scoops, and the edition contained a 48-page pull-out.

It promised its readers that profits from the edition will go to charity.

A sub-headline read: 'After 168 years, we finally say a sad but very proud farewell to our 7.5m loyal readers.'And in the top right corner are the words: 'The world's greatest newspaper 1843-2011'.

On social networking site Twitter, staff spoke of the 'very emotional' atmosphere in the newsroom as the paper was put to bed for the last time.

CLUES (PROOFREADERS MISSED)

BROOK

STINK

CATASTROPHE

DIGITAL PROTECTION

CEASE

LAMENT

CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE

MIX IN PRISON

STRING OF RECORDINGS

WOMAN STARES WILDLY AT CALAMITY

ANSWERS (THEY FAILED TO SPOT)

DEPLORED

STATUS

STENCH

STIR

DISASTER

FIREWALL

MENACE

DESIST

RACKET

TART

Sub-editors also put together a special front page for staff, headlined 'Best in the world' and with the poignant picture of all the newsroom team gathered together on their final day.

On its back page were two quotes. The
first, from George Orwell's Decline of the English Murder, 1946, reads:
'It is Sunday afternoon, preferably before the war.

'The wife is already asleep in the armchair and the children have been sent out for a nice long walk.

'You put your feet up on the sofa, settle your spectacles on your nose, and open the News of the World.'

The
second quotation, from Jeanne Hobson, Lymington, Hants, and written
this year, stated: 'I have read this paper since I was old enough to
read newspapers.

'I'm 68 now. I cannot imagine Sundays without you.

'I
will always remember the News of the World for the good things you have
brought to light. I am sad to say goodbye to my Sunday favourite.'

Final laugh: One of the News of the World staff wore a T-shirt with a poignant message